The PASS Summit is coming up next week and that means that as the sun goes down, a number of us will be making the nightly migration from the convention center to Bush Gardens for some karaoke. And since it’s a tradition of our community – we call it SQL Karaoke. One question that gets asked time and time again is:

I can’t sing and/or don’t want to. Do I have to sing to attend SQL Karaoke?

The easy answer is no. I’ll often ask people to sing and try to recruit people from time to time, but there is no requirement for singing to attend SQL Karaoke. This event isn’t about making everyone participate by singing, it is about participating by showing up, meeting people, and having a good time. We don’t have to be all about SQL Server all the time, though, some of the songs might be parodied in that vein.

That being said, there are a couple requirements for SQL Karaoke at Bush Gardens. First, make sure you tip the KJ, even if you aren’t singing. Most of their pay comes from the tips – and we need to show them how much we appreciate their service. Also, the place is rather small – after a couple hundred people show up it will be downright crowded. There is typically a single bartender and waitress on staff and it can sometimes take a few minutes to get a drink. Part of the allure of Bush Gardens is that it is a dive bar at the other end of town.

What do you think? What advice would offer to someone that asked the same question? Leave your replies in the comments below. Also, if you want “the unicorn” to answer a question in a future post, send me a message on LinkedIn or at AskTheUnicorn.